Vacuum cleaner



April 16, 1935. c, SHARP 1,997,754

VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 18, 1952 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 VACUUDICLEANER Robert C. Sharp, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Air-Way ElectricAppliance Corporation,

Toledo, Ohio, a corporationof Delaware Application July 18, 1932, SerialNo. 623,132

14 Claims.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and has for its primary objectto provide a simple arrangement for embodying a fan casing and floortool unit of the type wherein the floor tool suc- 5 tion neck ispositioned in alignment with the axis of the fan, in a domestic, wheelsupported cleaner of the type having an upwardly and rearwardly inclinedhandle rigidly attached to the fan casefloor tool unit and supportingbeneath it an upwardly and rearwardly inclined dust collector.

The invention, to this end, contemplates the provision of a fan casing,positioned with its v axis inclined upwardly and rearwardly, arearwardly and upwardly projecting motor, a discharge neck extendingfrom the fan case alongside the motor and beyond the upper end thereof,and plural connections formed on the upper end of the discharge neck,one for attachment of the handle, and the other for attachment of thedust collector.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel horizontaltype vacuum cleaner, embodying an arch-shaped supporting frame, a motorfan assembly hung at one end of the frame, and a dust collectordetachably hung below the frame and protected thereby against injuryfrom contact with obstacles.

A furtherobje'ct is to provide a novel arrangement in a suction cleanerwhich may be employed, not onlyfo'r suction cleaning, but for blowingstreams of pure or disinfectant laden air, whereby the discharge fromthe fan may be directed either through the handle or through the dustcollector connection, as determined by the position of a controlvalveembodied in thedis charge neck of the fan case.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in thecombination and construction and, arrangement of the various partsthereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fullyset forth in the accompanying specification, pointed out in my claims,and illus trated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig."1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the same.

Fig.3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the-invention.

' Fig.4 is a View, partly insection, of a modification-of the inventionembodied in a horizontal typecleaner.

Fig. 51s a viewepartly in section and partly broken away, of amodification of the invention embodied in a, cleaner convertible into ablower. iiReferring first ,to,Fig s...1 and 2,3 invention in its;primary aspect embodies a fan case and floor tool or body unit A, ahandle and switch assembly B, and a dust collector C.

The body unit A comprises the fan casein, motor ll'secured thereto,suction neck socket or collar. l2 on the opposite side of the fan caseand axially aligned with the motor, floor tool l4, suction tube or neck15 connected, preferably by a, swivel joint I6, to the floor tool 14,and secured in the collar i2 at its other end, floor 10 wheels llsupporting the tool I4, floor wheels 18 supporting the fan case In, andfan case discharge neck 19 extending rearwardly alongside the motor I Iand terminating in dual connections 2!! and 2| respectively.

The connection 20 secures the lower end of the shaft 22 of the handleassembly B, and is preferably in the form of a socket in which the shaft22 is secured rigidly.

The connection 2| may embody any suitable 20 means for attachment to thedust collector C, and as illustrated, comprises a socket to'receive oneend of the bag coupler 23, designed to securely engage the neck 24 of aporous paper dust collecting bag 25, received within the openable outerretaining bag 26 of cloth or the like, which has ;a mouth definedbetween rigidifiedupper edges Z'L the ends of which are socketedrespectively in the discharge neck l9 and latch means 28 embodied in theswitch mechanism 29 mounted on the shaft 22, whereby the outer bag maybe removed to allow access to the inner bag.

It may now be noted that the motor' and tool neck l5 are mounted onopposite sides of the fan case, on a common axis, and that the dischargeneck l9 and motor ll extend upwardly and rearwardly in side by siderelation, the upper end of the discharge neck extending beyond the motorand curved inwardly toward the motor axis to form the dual bag andhandleconnections. This feature is found also in the form showninF-ig. 3, thedischarge neck extending under instead of over the motor, as it does inthe preferred'form.

p In the preferred form, the discharge neck'is preferably aligned withthe handle, giving greater'strength, better appearance, and providingthe proper space forthe collector C.

In Fig. 4, I have shown the invention modified to form a horizontal typecleanerfth'e shaft 22a, .correspondingto-the handle shaft 22 in Fig. 1,forming, in the modification of Fig. 4, the upper horizontal member ofan arch shaped frame 3', and being bent downwardly as at to form oneside of the frame. The other side of theframe is formed by the body unitA, which is the same as the body unit A with the exception that thefloor wheels l8 of Fig. 1 may be substituted for by wheels iS-ajournalled on a pivoted frame 3| to allow castor movement. A wheel 32 ismounted on the end of the frame member 30.

The dust collector C is the same as the collector C" already described.It depends within the arch of the frame 3' and is protected thereby fromcontact with obstacles. A suitable suction tool 33 may be attached tothe fan case collar l2 by means of a flexible tube 34. g V

The frame member 38 may be formed as a continuation of the shaft 22a,may be hinged thereto as at 35, and may be brought into a position ofalignment or tangency with respect to the shaft 22a, and employed as ahandle, the attachment of the tool l4 and neck. i5 thence serving toconvert the arrangement into the form shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a further modification in which the closed socketof 2 is substituted for by an open passage 20a, connecting the neck E9to the hollow handle 22b, and a twoway valve is so arranged in the Ychamber thus formed, as to provide a closed passage from the neck t5either to the handle 22b or to the bag connection 2!.

A suitable discharge nozzle 31 may be connected to the handle tube 222)as by a flexible tube 38, and air may be blown therethrough while thedust collector remains suspended, it being necessary only to shift thevalve 36 to change the device from a suction cleaner to a blower.

By removing th' device may be err, comminuted disinfectant......e.terial, fed from a suitable feeding device 38, through the fan40 (see Fig. 2) for breaking up into finer particles, and thence throughthe nozzle 31 in a stream of disinfectant laden air.

The connection 2!, instead of communicating with the end of the dustcollector C, may approach the dust collector from the side, as at Zla inFig. 4.

The discharge neck l9 may be cast integrally with the motor dome Ila, asshown in Fig. 3.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge neck extending upwardly and rearwardly alongside the motor,respective handle and dust collector connections integrally formed onthe upper end of the neck, a handle rigidly attached to the handleconnection, and a dust collector suspended below the handle andcommunicating with the dust collector connection.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neckbelow,and the motor above, the fan casing having rigidly associateddischarge neck extending upwardly and rearwardly to a point beyond therear end of the motor, respective handle and dust collector connectionsintegrally formed on the upper end of the neck, a handle attached to thehandle connection, and a dust collector suspended below the handle andcommunicating with the dust collector connection, the handle anddischarge neck being axially aligned whereby the handle forms acontinuation of the discharge neck.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, 8. wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge neck extending upwardly and rearwardly to a point beyond therear end of the motor, a handle rigidly secured to the discharge neck atits upper end and coaxial therewith, a dust collector connection forming2. laterally offset integral continuation of the discharge neck, and adust collector suspended below the handle and communicating with saidconnection.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a fan case including a discharge pipeterminating in respective handie and dust collector connections, ahollow handle communicating with the handle connection, a dust collectorcommunicating with the other connection, and a two way valve forproviding selectively, a closed passage from the neck to the handle, ora closed passage from the neck to the dust collector connection.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, 3. fan casing having a discharge neckterminating in a Y shaped chamber, a hollow handle attached to andcommunicating with one branch of the Y, a dust collector communicatingwith the other branch of the Y, and a two way valve rotatable in saidchamber at the fork of the Y, adapted to close off one of the branchesthereof while allowing free passage of air through the alternate branch.

0. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and tool neck attached to opposite sides thereof on acommon axis, the tool neck having a removable connection to allowattachment of an insecticide feeding device, a discharge neck on the fancase, extending alongside the motor, respective handle and dustcollector connections formed on the end of said neck, a hollow handleattached to and communicating with one of said connections, a dustcollector communicating with the other connection, and a two way valvein the neck adapted to provide a closed passage from the neck to eitherthe handle or dust collector, selectively.

7, In a suction cleaner, a fan casing and motor assembly, floor engagingmeans supporting said assembly with the axis thereof upwardly andrearwardly inclined, at rigidly associated discharge duct on the fancasing, extending upwardly and rearwardly to a point beyond the rear endof the motor, said discharge duct terminating in a downwardly extendingdischarge neck and an upwardly and rearwardly opening socket, a handlesecured in said socket and extending upwardly and rearwardly, and a,dust collector suspended below the handle and communicating with saiddischarge neck.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, 9. wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly to a point beyond therear end of the motor, respective handle and dust collector connectionsintegrally formed on the upper end of the duct, a handle rigidlyattached to the handle connection, and a dust collector suspended belowthe handle and communicating with the dust collector connection.

9. In a suction cleaner, motor and fan casings separably attached, on acommon axis downwardly and forwardly inclined, the motor projectingupwardly and rearwardly above the fan case, a discharge duct formedintegrally with the motor casing and communicating with the fan casing,said duct projecting beyond the rear end of the motor casing and formedwith a handle connection and a handle attached to said connection.

10. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and a toolneck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofona common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly above the motor andforked at its upper end to provide, respectively, a discharge neckprojecting downwardly behind the motor and a handle connection abovesaid neck, a handle attached to said connection and extending upwardlyand rearwardly, and a dust collector suspended below the handle andcommunicating with said neck. 7

11. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and a tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly alongside the motor andforked at its upper end to provide integral dust collector and handleconnections, a handle rigidly attached to said handle connection andextending upwardly and rearwardly, and a dust collector suspended belowthe handle and communicating with said dust collector connection.

12. In a vacuum cleaner, 9. wheel supported body unit comprising a. fancase, a motor and a tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly above the motor, andterminating in a discharge neck extended downwardly behind the motor, ahandle rigidly attached to said duct in a position forming an axiallyaligned extension thereof, and a dust collector suspended below thehandle and communicating with the discharge neck.

13.'In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and. a tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sidesthereof on a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the toolneck below, and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidlyassociated discharge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly above themotor, and terminating in a discharge neck extended downwardly behindthe motor, a handle attached to said duct above said neck, and a dustcollector suspended below the handle and communicating with thedischarge neck.

14. In a vacuum cleaner, a wheel supported body unit comprising a fancase, a motor and a tool neck rigidly attached to opposite sides thereofon a common axis extending upwardly and rearwardly, the tool neck below,and the motor above, the fan casing having a rigidly associateddischarge duct extending upwardly and rearwardly alongside the motor,and terminating in an integral handle connection, a discharge neckbranching laterally from said duct near said handle connection, a handleattached to said handle connection, and a dust collector suspended fromthe handle and communicating with said neck.

ROBERT C. SHARP.

